Picking Up Three - From My Stacks

We're in our second week of taking a look at "Determining What's Most Important" as our thinking strategy of deep study.  As readers, we've been having the most interesting discussions.

I'm challenging learners to think about two guiding questions:

• How does purpose affect the ways I determine what's most important?
• What are the specific decisions I make as I determine what's most important?

Together, we're delving into our learning with these two questions as our guide. The beauty of posing questions like these is that the questions that readers are pondering personally are more intriguing, engaging, and purposeful than the two I proposed we study.  

Several readers are trying to think through how adding new words to their lexical system adds meaning to their reading and understanding.  Several readers are thinking through how their notebooks serve as a place to record their noticings about how determining importance affects their understanding.  Several students have been chatting about how knowledge of a specific author helps determining importance work more effectively.  Several readers are just grappling with the idea of stopping to ponder instead of barging through text (without disrupting meaning, of course).  It's been a grand two weeks. 

I've chosen the following three texts to use as "shared think alouds" as we continue on our journey.  Choosing texts that help define and redefine a strategy in the minds of young readers is one of my favorite parts of planning.

Flight of the Honey Bee by Raymond Huber

This book lends itself to determining what's most important for so many reasons.  The introduction alone leads to a grand discussion of how choosing just the right words can convey meaning with clarity.  I love the narrative interspersed with "bee" facts.  And, the "Save the Bees!" closing is perfect.  

I'll share part of this book with my students and then turn the text over to them so that they can devour it as individuals or in pairs.  I'm sure the room with hum with comments like "I think this is important, because..." or "This sentence carries a lot of weight, because..."  

Never Smile at a Monkey by Steve Jenkins

Who doesn't love to be scared out of their wits by things in nature?  The short pieces in this book are frightening, yet intriguing.  To determine what's most important, readers have to pay close attention to the details on each page and find the essence of each short snippet of text.  

I see coupling each page with the nonfiction pieces in the back of the book.  Great talking points for readers about what's important and why.  And, these short snippets serve as provocative mentor text for writers as well.  I see us talking in pairs about a specific animal in the text and chatting about "What's most important... and why... and how do you know?"  

Passing the Music Down by Sarah Sullivan

I love this book.  Listen to the first lines... "Come August, with corn strutting high in the fields and tomatoes plumping out on the vine folks get to talking about tuning up and heading over twisty mountain roads to hear fiddle players and banjo pickers make music under the stars." 

Because it's inspired by two musicians, the author's note will help lead our discussion through somewhat unknown music territory.  This text might lead to a conversation about how our schema is related to determining what's most important and how we sometimes have to build it at the same time we're applying a new strategy.

I love couching our thinking in both narrative and nonfiction text (and poetry) as we student determining what's most important.  If we truly believe that these thinking/comprehension behaviors are what wise readers do to make sense of text, we have to offer students a chance to think in a wide variety of text.  These three texts (and others) will be used during the crafting portion of of reader's workshop sometime in the next week or so... and I'll offer them to students to read during their composing (independent) time.  It's always my goal to give learners a flavor of what's possible and then let them have a go.  As my colleague says, "Just offer them a little hook and let them go swimming in the bigger pond with support."

So... until next month, here's your homework.  Choose three books from your stacks.  Think about these ideas as you read (this may sound familiar):

• How might this text fit into my current strategy study?  If it doesn't how else might I use it?
• If I were planning a study of determining what's most important what might I need to investigate further?
• Who might I run ideas by as I plan my next study?  Who will give me the energy to follow through?  
• What ten texts might I use with my students as readers, writers, mathematicians, or scientists that would build the essence of this "important" thinking strategy?
• What language might I use in my crafting that bests focuses the learners in my care on their own use of the strategy of study?

Picking Up Three - From My Stacks

I've decided to write one post each month to think through and share texts that I have in my stacks.  I have lots of "gems" and sometimes it's helpful to hunker down on the library floor to revisit and "re-vision" how I might use the great pieces of text I've collected.  Many texts are old favorites just waiting to be shared in a think aloud or shared together to nudge our conversations as readers.  Many texts are forgotten books that I discovered along the way, but never got around to using.  Many texts were added to my collection for a specific purpose, but never quite made it into a crafting lesson.  

One of the questions I'm often asked is "What text should I use to teach ____?"

Here's my answer... choose text that you love!  That's the easy part.  But sometimes that's just not enough.  As we plan a strategy study, no matter the thinking behavior we're delving into with our students, text choice is critical.  If we truly believe that "thinking strategies" can and should be applied across genre, across experiences, and across a study, we have to be wise in our decision making as teachers.  What texts lend themselves to the thinking that I'm hoping my young readers will store in their strategy wheelhouse?

If we want our young readers to infer, to synthesize, to activate their schema, etc. we have to be selective as we plan instruction... and then we build a classroom library rich in the kinds of text we're hoping our students will read!

- - - 

Here's my plan.  I've pulled three books out of my collection.  I'll give a brief synopsis of the text and then share one way we might use the text as readers during the crafting portion of reader's workshop; focusing on a specific thinking strategy (although each text lends itself to more than one strategy).  My hope is that you'll begin to search your own collections for that "just right" book to use as you craft* a strategy with your readers during reader's workshop.

My friend and colleague, Susan Logan, gave me When Everybody Wore a Hat by William Steig when she brought a group of visitors to my classroom a few years ago.  It is an autobiographical sketch of William Steig's childhood in which he invites us into his eight-year-old world... in 1916 when "everybody wore a hat."

Strategy Focus:  Drawing Inferences

When you read this text, you can't help but infer.  Readers infer when they create personal meaning from the text by gleaning insight and interpretations.  William Steig's simplicity in thought nudges us to "step into his life" as a young boy growing up in the 1900s.  His is a very unique point of view.  I might use this book as a shared text with my students.  Together, we might work together to draw conclusions and build our schema as we "think through" text together.  This might happen fairly early in a study when I'm nudging learners to speculate, think about questions that lead to an inference, or gather clues from the text.  Together, we might explore a portion of this book to gain insight into our own process of "coming to know" how wise readers infer.  Remember, inferring helps readers deepen their understanding beyond the text and lends itself to broad, personalized experiences.

I bought this book for two reasons:  Jean Craighead George and Wendell Minor.  I love when the two of them were able to collaborate.  The Buffalo Are Back is one of their collaborations; one example of their stunning work.  Together, they tell the story of the demise and return of the buffalo (including Theodore Roosevelt's role in the process) to the great plains.  The text is broken into short sections, each dealing with a specific aspect of the American Buffalo in the west.  I love Wendall's dedication, "To Jean, in celebration of her fifty years of writing wonderful books that teach children the wonders of nature." 

Strategy Focus:  Asking Questions

This text can be used encourage authentic questioning.  As readers, we spend time asking questions before, during, and after reading.  Because this text is full of such rich language, readers can generate questions at the word, sentence, and whole text level.  I might use short sections of this text throughout a study of "asking questions" and "lift" certain passages for students to grapple with independently (later in a study).  I might also use portions of it as a think aloud early on in a study of questioning.  This book ties well into a study of ecosystems or western history and is "question rich" text.  Remember, asking questions helps readers pose possibilities to stretch their own thinking as they develop and explore their wonderings as readers.

I admit it.  I bought this book on the bargain shelf at The Boulder Bookstore.  It just makes me laugh (Jennifer Larue Huget has also written herself into a great mentorship with students as writers).  This book explores the "what if" aspect of running away from home... and what child hasn't threatened that at least once in his or her childhood.  It's funny.  It's a book that nudges readers to contemplate, wonder about, and explore the benefits and consequences of "running away."  

Strategy Focus:  Activating, Utilizing, & Building Background Knowledge 

Wise readers have to learn to activate their schema - blending their background knowledge and background experiences.  I would use this book near the beginning of a study as either a think aloud or a shared experience.  As readers, knowing that differences in text structure affect our understanding, we often use our schema to make sense of text.  This text lends itself to the idea of activating schema before, during, and after reading.  Using schema nudges readers to pay attention to purpose and to acknowledge when their background is either helping or hindering their understanding.  I think using this book to nudge collaborative thinking during a crafting session would be perfect; I picture lots of "turn and talk" as we explore the text.  Remember, activating, utilizing, and building background knowledge and experience is more than "connecting" to the text; it's about using what you know to better understand what you don't know. 

• • •

So... until next month, here's your homework.  Choose three books from your stacks.  Think about these things as you read:

• Does this text fit into my current strategy study?  If not, what strategy might I use it with later?
• As I read this text, what thinking strategy to I find MYSELF using?  How am I being metacognitive?  How might I use it with students?
• Is this a book that I want to use for crafting or do I just want to "talk it up" and get it into the hands of children?
• As a reader, do I find this text compelling?  Is sharing it worthy of my time or my students's intellect? 
• How might this mentor author fit into another content... writing, mathematics, social studies, etc.?  

*Craft, to me, is the mini-lesson during reader's workshop.  That's the perspective I'm writing from as I share these texts. 

Ice Bear - Nicola Davies

I've been rereading a bit of Nicola Davies lately.  There's something reenergizing to thumb through my stakes.  Among her books, I ran across a favorite of mine... Ice Bear: In the Steps of the Polar Bear.  
     I love her narrative... but what attracts me most to her writing is the way she interweaves bits of nonfiction, lines that float through the text.  I've been sitting down to contemplate a writing project lately and I'm using her as one of my mentors (along with Don Brown and Louise Borden).  
     One of the things we know as teachers of writers is how important it is to surround them with the types of writing we want them to explore... the types of writers who can become their mentors.  Of course, the more I work with young writers, the more I realize that often times they are the ones who have to match themselves to a mentor; they are the ultimate decision maker.  They find their own mentors.  Someone they respect.  Someone whose writing inspires them.  Someone who intrigues them.  Someone whose writing nudges them.
      And I've realized that I have an important job:  to expose them to writers, to help them discover great writers, to encourage them to "have a go" with interesting examples of text, and to demonstrate my own passion for writers and great writing.  Expose.  Discover.  Encourage.  Demonstrate.  That's just good teaching, right?  
     So Nicola Davies is one of my "go to" mentors and by sharing what I learn from her with my students, perhaps they will, in turn, find a "go to" writer that inspires them.  Consider this line...

"Its ears sit close to its head, 

neatly out of cutting winds, 

and its feet are furred for warmth and grip."

     What can a young writer learn?  What can I learn?  In 21 words I notice the power of three, the strength of noun modifiers, the effective use of "and" as a coordinating conjunction, the musicality of rhythmic words.  If I read Nicola Davies to my students (and myself)... once for the heart and once for the head, how can her words not engage them in the wonderful thing we call writing.  

     It's time to pull together a Nicola Davies basket... my students will love her.  IF I don't beat them to the basket first.

Snowflakes Fall

When you combine the talents of Patricia MacLachlan and Steven Kellogg, there's not much more to say...
     Snowflakes Fall arrived today.  My heart is full.  With the simplicity of MacLachlan's words, I was once again moved and inspired.  With the honesty of Kellogg's illustrations, I was once again reminded and touched.  
     As a tribute to Sandy Hook, this book is meant to be joyful and spirit-filled.  It is.  If you haven't purchased this book.  You should.  Read it once for your head.  Read it once for your heart.  And then read it to your students... tomorrow.

     "Snowflakes fall
     To Sit on garden
     And evergreen trees
                                On the fur of dogs
                                And the tongues of laughing children--
                                                                                No two the same--
                                                                                All beautiful."

And we remember the children.  I just want to say thank you to both the author and the illustrator for creating such a fine tribute to life.  Thank you.

Michael Rosen's Sad Book

I just discovered Michael Rosen's Sad Book.  "This is me being sad," the opening lines read, "Maybe you think I'm happy in this picture.  Really I'm sad pretending I'm happy..."  Quentin Blake's illustration sits above the lines.

In Sad Book, Mr. Rosen describes how he hide his grief and began to deal with death.  He wrote the book after his son, Eddie, died of meningitis.  Anyone who has suffered a loss - a child - a parent - a pet... well, any loss, really, will understand the author's need to express his sadness in words.

I love the honesty of this book.  The way the illustrations by Quentin Blake parallel the story so poignantly.  The beauty of the language, "Sometimes I'm sad and I don't know why.  It's just a cloud that comes along and covers me up.  It's not because Eddie's gone.  It's not because my mum's gone.  It's just because."  The journey through heartbreak and heartache, though long and lonely, that leads to hope.  The remembering.  In all its sadness, Mr. Rosen's book is somehow comforting.

Michael Rosen's writing is a gift.  Sometimes silly.  Sometimes serious.  And, in the case of Michael Rosen's Sad Book, simply special. 

Note: This is another book published by our friends at Candlewick Press.

Jen Bryant - A Conundrum

I have three books in my "new" pile to write about... and they're all by Jen Bryant which is causing me a huge conundrum!  Do I write about them in one entry?  

Nope.  But let me write about two today...

The first book is Georgia's Bones.  It's a wonderful book about Georgia O'Keefe.  Listen to the first lines:

As a child, shapes often drifted

in and out of Georgia's mind.

Curved and straight, round or square, 

she studied them, and let them disappear.

The way Jen Bryant takes us on a "collection of words" about Georgia O'Keefe's life is gentle and spirited.  Even though the book is "fiction," you gather a sense of Georgia O'Keefe's innate curiosity and sensitivity to the natural world.  And Bethanne Andersen blends her illustrations with Ms. Bryant's words almost magically.  As I read it, I felt like I was learning about a part of Georgia O'Keefe's life that I never knew.

How will I use it?  I might use it in a study of "Stamina and Endurance."  Or I might use it to introduce the concept of "Noticings" as we work in our writer's notebooks.  Or I might use in a study of lyrical nonfiction.  Or I might use it during a study of "Line Lifts" to nudge our writing.

• • • • • • • • • 

The second book is Abe's Fish.  This will go into my classroom collection of "Books about Abe Lincoln."  Listen to this writing:

The late-day sun warmed Abe's back and 

deepened the red of a ripe apple that hung

by the roadside, just out of reach.  Abe tried

three times to poke it down with a stick, 

but the apple refused to drop.

I wish I was tall! he thought

Ms. Bryant takes us on a childhood journey of Abraham Lincoln's life that is eloquent and poignant.  Freedom.  The ending pages are breathtaking.  I loved that it focused not on his presidency, but on his childhood.  The author's notes at the end of the book are an example of superb nonfiction writing.  Amy June Bates has illustrated the books beautifully.

How will I use it?  I might use as a "cousin" text to my other Lincoln books.  Or I might use it in a study of "Stamina and Endurance."  Or I might use it in a study of "Evoking Sensory Images."  Or I might use it as an example of "mixing narrative in a nonfiction study." 

• • • • • • • • • 

Jen Bryant is an talented writer.  We loved her River of Words about William Carlos Williams.  She's bringing nonfiction to young readers in the most interesting and breathtaking ways.  Her ability to blend "fiction" with "nonfiction" is the exact kind of book I like to read... it causes me pause.  It makes me reread.  It makes me notice.  It makes me want to read more.  It makes me want to learn more.  Dare I say her writing deserves a closer read?

So what's the rest of my conundrum?  I'll mention that in my next "Jen Bryant" post...

Endeavor... Forever... A Tribute to Holly Meade

In December 2011, I wrote about a book by Holly Meade called If I Never Forever Endeavor.  It quickly became one of my favorite books.  I use it with adults, with children, and when I'm feeling "swamped," I read it for myself.

When I received the Tweet from Candlewick Press today that Ms. Meade has died, my heart sank.  Her obituary said, "She loved coastal Maine where she drew much of her inspiration from the natural world." 

All you have to do is explore her illustrations and you'll see evidence of her love for beauty, her love of art.  Her obituary said about Ms. Meade, "A deeply creative soul, Holly surrounded herself with art and was forever seeking an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual education through the aesthetic world."

She began illustrating children's books in 1992.  Twenty one years to share her gifts with those of us who love picture books.  Over 30 books.  Hundreds of works of art.

It's important that we, as teachers, stand together firm and recognize the importance of picture books.  We need to shout to world to ensure that the illustration of story, nonfiction, and poetry remain a living, breathing aspect of our reader's and writer's workshops (at all grade levels).  We must value beauty and creativity at the core of our work with children.

And, it's important that we point out to young readers and writers that people like Holly Meade (and so many others) take their craft seriously.  Illustrators understand the connection between words and art.  Illustrators understand that intellect can be stretched through aesthetic journeys.  Illustrators understand that each brush stroke, each line, each shadow, each color add depth to a reader's understanding.  Illustrators understand that before we write, we draw--drawing has to be an integral part of a writer's life.  Illustrators understand art.

If you don't know Holly's work, do an investigation.  Look at her gallery.  Look at her body of work (start with Candlewick Press).  Read a book or two to your students, to your children, to yourself.  And remember Holly's family in your thoughts and prayers.  

Here are a few of my favorites:

A illustrator's work is worth a thousand words.
Sometimes we have to say goodbye far too early, but we're always better for having experienced a bit of life via the talents of another person.

Thank you to Holly Meade for sharing your gifts with the world.  
Thanks for your endeavors!

• • • • • • • 

After I wrote this post, I discovered that Candlewick Press has set up a memorial fund for Holly Meade.  You can click here to see it at The Curious City.

Bananas in My Ears

Michael Rosen.  We all know him from We're Going on A Bear Hunt, This is Our House, and Michael Rosen's Sad Book.  Or any of his other 140+ books!

One of my new favorites is Bananas in My Ears.  It's illustrated by Sir Quentin Blake, the very first British Children's Laureate.  They've collaborated on many titles over the years.  Bananas in My Ears is published by Candlewick Press.  

This books is a collection of silly rhymes, stories, and poems.  And what a grand collaboration it is between two brilliant artists.  One supplies the words.  One supplies the illustrations to support the words. 

Sometimes it's fun to run across a text that's just, well, silly!  And, of course, it's fun to read aloud, use for inferring, use for writing nudges.  But above all else, it's just a fun book.  

My favorite bits in the book are the "Nat and Anna" stories.  Mainly because they remind me of my own children.  

• Nat, trying to get Anna's attention.  Anna pretending Nate is invisible.  Hilarious.
• Nat following on the beach, afraid of jellyfish. 
• Nat and Anna having breakfast!  Enter mom!

I think that if you gave this book to two fourth graders (or first, or second, or tenth) and had them read... they'd laugh, they'd want to write, they'd talk.  It's a simple book full of silly stuff!  And, sometimes, we gotta have a little silly in our lives.

Thank you to my friends at Candlewick Press !

Memoirs of a Goldfish

"With a whoosh, and a splash, and a clank, and a plunge," we were suddenly laughing out loud at Memoirs of a Goldfish!  
     A group of fourth graders gathered at my feet, we devoured this delightful book by Devin Scillian.  I pulled it out of the "new books" that our media specialist had just unpacked (he's always adding to our collection), but I didn't know how much my students would like it.  
     Our post-reading conversation revolved around "point of view" to "perspective" to "wishes and dreams" to "It's about friendship" to "I could write something like this" to "This reminds me a little of Finding Nemo" to "I have to read this to my brother!" to "I can't wait to get the 'App.'" (Yes, there's even an App on iTunes for this book).  
     This books tells the tale of a goldfish and the seemingly mundane life he lives in his bowl.  First page... "Day One... I swam around my bowl."  
     After that day, his "memoirs" become more complex as new company joins his quiet little bowl (including Rhoda and Clark the guppies, Mr. Bubbles the deep sea fella, and Mervin the snail... among others).  The goldfish eventually can't stand it and exclaims, "I want my bowl back!"  
     Tim Bowers, the illustrator, captured the story beautifully.  We spent just as much time looking at the illustrations as we did reading the text... priceless.  The look in the goldfish's eyes are amazing!
          I read it for read aloud right before spring break and had to read it twice!  This book is, well, "heavenly!"

Do Good!

Make Magic!  Do Good!  Admire Dallas Clayton!

I could end this blog post right now!  His collection of poetry in Make Magic!  Do Good! is simply stunning.

I wept when I read his poem "Genius" (emotions running high?).  There was something about it that reminded me of our work as teachers... the power of sharing dreams with others.  When I read the line, "...and they'd wake up in the dark of the night with one small idea that would change the world forever..." memories came over me like a steam roller.  

Childhood.  It's so fleeting and I worry about the lives of youngsters.  I had a great conversation with my friend, Katie Keier, this week about play.  And, I think when I got home and sat down to read this book, our conversation was still tumbling through my mind.  The personal connection I had with this poem and others ("Colors," "Try!" "Love Song") makes me excited to get these little poetic gems into the hands of students.

I was joking with a friend about the fact that "blogging" has created a "shopping frenzy" at local independent bookstores around the country.  And, yes, this book is a must have (especially in a certain classroom at Little Elementary, wink!).  And, yes, I'm adding Dallas Clayton's other books to my own shopping list!

Listen to part of the book flap, "I write books and draw pictures, and I travel the world and read stories to children of all ages and talk to them about their lives and jump into water and climb up trees and paint walls and have adventures."  Now who couldn't love a book by an author who says that?  Who does that?  Who lives that?

I'll end this little post with Mr. Clayton's poem, "Travel Stories"

Her quiet stories were best of all

'cause she never wrote 'em down

she lived 'em out by traveling' 

and roamin' in town to town

meetin' folks

and sharin' jokes

as the world went round and round...

Now travel to your local Indy and buy this one!  Make Magic!  Do Good!

• • • • • • • • • • • 

Read this interview of Dallas, it's "awesome" and so captures the spirit of his work... here's a snippet, "Basically, I wake up each morning to a new letter or a new email or a new article or a new photo of someone telling me that what I have made has helped inspire them in some small way. That’s my reality. Every day! Isn’t that crazy!? It’s like waking up each morning to a kiss on the cheek or a gold medal or a really big warm hug."

Thanks to my friends at Candlewick Press for your brilliant work.

Mimi Brown - A Guest Blog

I've asked a few of my colleagues to serve as All-en-a-Day's Work "guest bloggers."  Mimi Brown is my first guest.  Mimi is a dear friend who works as a literacy coach in Issaquah, Washington.  I've know Mimi for a quite some time.  Mimi is passionate about her work and many of our conversations center around the work she is doing in her position as a literacy coach... of course, our conversations are peppered with laughter.  She's a good friend and I'm pleased she agreed to write a guest post...  Enjoy!

Here are some of my favorite things about winter:

• The song, "Baby It's Cold Outside" (Ahh, old-fashioned love songs)
• Snow Days (I'll take the make-up days in June)
• Wearing turtlenecks and scarves (Layers are my friend)
• Watching it snow (And then melt soon after... After all, I live in Washington State)

I recently procured a new winter favorite to add to my list... Recess at 20 Below by Cindy Aillaud. 

I first purchased the book thinking it would be a good anchor text to demonstrate differing schema, but I haven't used it for that purpose yet.  I grabbed it on a day when we had surprise snow flurries.  

I was working in a third grade classroom during a study of essay writing and knew this book would channel the excitement that falling snow produces in our students.  The text helped us investigate various ways to elaborate on a thesis.  We found facts, anecdotes, quotes, and descriptions... just to name a few.  The kids loved the text and found ways to apply it to their own writing.  

Later in the week, I took the book into a fourth grade classroom that was immersed in a unit on Asking Questions.  The length of daylight hours mentioned in the text fascinated the students.  The thought of needing flashlights to go out to recess created a firestorm  of wonderings.  

I can't wait to take it to Kindergarten this week.  I'm sure we'll be able to compare and contrast our temperate Northwestern recesses to those in the frozen Alaskan north!

As I continue to think about the ways to use this book, my friend Patrick comes to mind.  Patrick, you need this book for your photo essay collection... it's a perfect addition to a study.  

I love finding books that are "chameleons," books that lend themselves to so many arenas!

Warm winter reading wishes, 

Mimi

Elementary LIteracy Coach 

Issaquah, Washington